Scientology On Its Last Legs?

Scientology On Its Last Legs?

www.disinfo.com

There once was a time when the media were scared to report on the madness that is the “Church” of Scientology for fear of costly litigation. No more. While there have been occasional reports over the years, last year ABC News went hard after Scientology leader David Miscavige. Now the New York Times runs a front page story suggesting that the “Church” is losing members fast and may have as few as 25,000 members in the United States, versus the millions claimed by the organization:

(visit the link for the full news article)


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[url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/07/us/07scientology.html]www.nytimes.com

Scientology gives cults a bad name.

Scientology started in I believe 1948 at a science fiction convention when L. Ron Hubbard gave a talk on how science fiction could be made into religion.

It was not well received according to a friend of mine who was there.

A few months later Hubbard published "Dianetics". And the rest they say is history.

I don't know all the "theological" details but the founding myth as I understand it was pretty weird even by 1948 science fiction standards...but then Hubbard was never a very good writer in my opinion. Heinlein's "Stranger in a Strange Land" and Grokking made far more sense to me.

Actually to be fair I am not sure whether that mythology was his or the organization created it.

Either way the organization plays hard ball when it comes to any form of defection...inquiry or criticism...milks its victims dry...intimidate people, governments and institutions...kidnappings and possibly murder.

How people can buy into their nonsense...but then that is the core of it...you buy and buy and buy....

It would make the world a better place if they fell.

www.disinfo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 3/7/2010 by iMacFanatic]

parsons would have done a better job then elron , to bad he got blown up..

i propose there be an investigation in hubb´s involvement in parsons death.

Scientology is the Amway of religion

It's good to see that so many have caught on to this evil pyramid scheme disguised as religion. Although, I do find it humorous that so many rich Hollywood types have fallen hook, line and sinker for this scam. I guess that just goes to show that you don't have to have a good head on your shoulders to be a good actor.

It's about time. To many I would assume it would be common sense that a was a fraud. It's a "religion" founded by a science fiction writer, right there any person with common sense would realise it was fake. I'd be shocked if ONE member of ATS was a member of this cult. God riddens.

It's a messed up cult. But is it messed up because of the political tactics they employ? Blackmail, spying, even forms of mind control have been reported. But if these tactics vanished, or were lessened to a great degree, what would Scientology look like then? Christianity.

reply to post by Aggie Man

I tried to suggest in my OP that for some the thought that it's "wisdom" is so expensive and they have to buy and buy and buy is its attraction.

Damn shame no one told the UK Gov about this,they have just enforced a new law whereby Scientology is protected from discrimination as its a "new reigion"

I ain't pulling your leg!

Rastafarians and members of ‘new religions’ such as Scientology are also covered by legislation under a code of practice drafted to coincide with the proposed Equality Bill.
The guidance, prepared by the Equality and Human Rights Commission says religions need not be mainstream or well known for their adherents to gain protection. Rastafarians and members of ‘new religions’ such as Scientology are also covered by legislation under a code of practice drafted to coincide with the proposed Equality Bill. The guidance, prepared by the Equality and Human Rights Commission says religions need not be mainstream or well known for their adherents to gain protection.

www.telegraph.co.uk...


Classic weirdness by the UK government,as per darned usuaul.

By that new law I hereby declare MYSELF as a new religion,who is to be left alone,and not taxed by the state until they actually start behaving in a manner that I agree with.
This is now law.



[edit on 7/3/2010 by Silcone Synapse]

[edit on 7/3/2010 by Silcone Synapse]

Even 'The New York Slimes"has lots of bad things to say about their demise.
Reports are that the 'church' is reporting numbers of accolites that don't jibe with actual numbers of members! Even some of Hollywierd's members are starting to abandon ship.

Former Scientologists report abuse and neglect!

Zindo

Originally posted by iMacFanatic
I don't know all the "theological" details but the founding myth as I understand it was pretty weird even by 1948 science fiction standards...but then Hubbard was never a very good writer in my opinion. Heinlein's "Stranger in a Strange Land" and Grokking made far more sense to me.

Actually to be fair I am not sure whether that mythology was his or the organization created it.

How people can buy into their nonsense...but then that is the core of it...you buy and buy and buy....

If by myth you are referring to the whole Xenu business, then that is something you find out at a fairly high level of Scientology training.

Many Scientologists at lower levels simply don't know about it. they know there is a secret, referred to as "The wall of Fire" but they believe that the information can be harmful if one is not properly prepared.

Initially Scientology is sold to people more as a sort of self-help program than a religion.

Of course the internet threw a huge monkey wrench in the whole secercy thing & now everybody knows about the Xenu story.
Scientology has never really learned to adapt to this new state of affairs and it it collapsing from within.
The overly aggressive behavior towards both members and non members hasn't exactly helped either. (As seen in the BBC documentary:


Here's a really great interview with a former member that exposes some of the oppressive mechanics of the church:



I personally believe that the dwindling membership could reach a critical mass within the near future & we could see a fairly swift collapse of the entire organization.
I know for a fact that there are MANY current Scientologists who are really unhappy with the current management.

It was actually rumored that L Ron Hubbard would return in the year 2000 & many Scientologists were hanging in there, waiting for him to come back & set thing right.

They must be having such a hard time right now...


[edit on 7-3-2010 by MrVertigo]

What I found most interesting about the article in the NYT is that many of the believers who leave the "church" continue to "practice" independently. They meet up and "monitor" one another. Even after the trauma of discovering the hypocrisy and abuse in the organization and separating from it, they continue to hold on to its mythology and ritual! I had always assumed that if the government were to tax religious organizations, the "church" of Scientology would simply disappear overnight. Much as I hate to admit it, I may have been wrong. Once someone takes comfort in a belief system it seems to become an addiction.

reply to post by Silcone Synapse


I wonder how much they payed to have this damned foolish 'religion' included in this edict? They are a freekin' CULT not a religion!

Zindo

reply to post by DJW001



I agree. Looks to be a total Mental disconnect with what they felt being abused and what they believe.
Must be kind of like the molested staying with the church (Catholic) because they believe the message but not the tactics of leaders!
Zindo

Quick!!
Now is the time-Lets raid the bunker and see if they really do have any alien gubbins down there!

Take the new york times,to document it!

Watch out though,Cruise and Travolta will be on the scene,and it will hit da fan-They will be doing their super slo mo kung fu gunplay,and will have an entire battalion of hollywood special effects artists at their disposal.

It could be a fight to the last Zetan..

Ex-Scientologists do not form a monolithic group in opposition to the "Church". Many of them do feel that L. Ron Hubbard had an original useful idea and created useful "tech". And as with any group, they draw strength from being with others of a like mind. So there are really three or four different kinds of Ex-Scientologists and until recently most of them were terrified to speak. Although not reported as such, the starvation-killing of Terri Schindler Schiavo was a Scientology event, and rather than building from that event, the "Church" has been shaking apart.

I can think of many who would dance on the grave of Scientology, and for my part I hope it continues to collapse until there is nothing left.

Maybe next we can move onto the other whack-o religions that cause people to kill each other and not be good people.

Cult or religion? Is there really much of a difference?

It is too bad that it is such a cult. If they didn't try to manipulate people and enslave them and put them into debt sucking all the money they can out of them, it would be fine. If they didn't kill that lady with their treatment of putting her in solitary confinement and starving her and have all these horrific stories attached to the church, pure weirdness.. it would be different.

Beliefs are fine to have, do no harm and who can complain? But the church has done a lot of harm. It's too bad because the basic idea behind scientology teachings is really not that bad and could be explored. Where you try to figure out everything that bothers you down to even the minute level and face it head on, and approach life as a spiritual being. Thing is I realize I can do that without joining a cult, and without the use of an E-meter.

What else is bad is it's cutthroat financial way of handling the money, it's internal structure. Very ponzi-schemish, evil in itself.

Let the cults die, but learn from them what we can.

The best thing for them to do is release the information for every level, put it for free on the internet. Say "Read at your own risk" and then continue to exist financially through donations without robbing their own members blind.

reply to post by Novise


Good points all. When you 'FORCE' people to work for third world wages and 'Force' abortions on the couples that live in this world just to be able to spend millions to build 'Temples of Doom' ,as I call them, you are going to be thought of as what you truly are. A 'Predatory Cult of Devotion'!

Zindo

i have always, here on ATS, considered the true mark of an ignorant prole to be when they badmouth L.Ron Hubbard.

i was lucky enough to read Dianetics and get my hands on several of Hubbard's protected Scientology books (i actually braved my way through the D.C. church's bookstore, posing as a member), before what i realised what a terrible and truly awful organisation Scientology had become.

I LOVE Hubbard's work. he was a genius of the mind (don't believe me, keep reading). and from what i hear, Scientology was a pretty good thing until its current leader came in and made it for the love of money.

so, i will agree that Scientology is no good, and that in his later years LRH wrote some pretty quackers stuff about the origins of Earth and mankind. people use these things to dismiss LRH altogether, which i assure you, is a mistake.
__________


now. i dont mean to say that Hubbard was a good man.

but what he has to say about the functioning of the mind should not be ignored.

there is an essay in THIS BOOK (which is a book all librarians of the truth should own) which gives great detail into the relationships of LRH, Jack Parsons, and the Los Angeles chapter of the O.T.O. during the early 1940's

"In one of the most celebrated feats in magical history, Parsons and pre-Dianetics L. Ron Hubbard performed The Babalon Working, a daring attempt to shatter the boundaries of time and space....."

in many people's opinion, this will not give him any more credibility. but in the very least, his background was not exclusively as a sci-fi writer.

the only way to know for sure is to read the stuff and decide for yourself. go ahead: Scientology 8-80 may very well blow your mind.

but, no.

it is much much easier to just dismiss it altogether.

.......

grow your own brains, people.

Scientology and Mormonism are similar in many respects.